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Graduation

COMMENCEMENT

Commencement is a time-honored tradition that celebrates the academic accomplishments of students. During commencement ceremonies at Arkansas State University-Newport, we recognize the learning, commitment, and effort by our students in completing their degree. This is a special event for the students and for all of those involved in supporting and encouraging them through this journey.

There are commencement ceremonies at the end of the fall, spring, and summer semesters. Fall commencement is typically held on the second Friday in December for all ASU-Newport students who completed their academic degrees during the fall term. Spring commencement is typically held on the second Friday in May for all ASU-Newport students who completed their academic degrees during the spring term. Summer commencement is typically held on the first Thursday of August for all ASU-Newport students who completed their academic degrees during the summer term.

Students register their commencement attendance when they apply for graduation. The following guidelines should be used when selecting the appropriate commencement term:

Fall Commencement

Students who attended the ASU-Newport Newport, Jonesboro, or Marked Tree campus.
Students who are enrolled in, or will be enrolled in, the classes needed to graduate in the fall term.

Spring Commencement

Students who attended the ASU-Newport Newport, Jonesboro, or Marked Tree campus.
Students who are enrolled in, or will be enrolled in, the classes needed to graduate in the spring term.

Summer Commencement

Students who attended the ASU-Newport Newport, Jonesboro, or Marked Tree campus.
Students who are enrolled in, or will be enrolled in, the classes needed to graduate in the summer term.
Students who are within 12 hours of degree completion and who will complete these hours in the following summer term.

APPLYING FOR DEGREES AND CERTIFICATES

Continuous enrollment is defined as a student being enrolled without sitting out a fall or spring semester. If continuously enrolled, students may graduate under the ASU-Newport catalog in effect when they first enrolled or the current catalog. If students enroll after sitting out at least one semester, they may graduate under the catalog in effect when they re-enrolled or the current catalog. Transfer students must have earned at least 15 credit hours at ASU-Newport to receive a degree or a technical certificate with a cumulative GPA of 2.0.

Please Note: Students do not have the ability to choose which commencement ceremony they participate in.
(Example: If your degree is conferred in May, you cannot walk in August or December.)

Students are expected to attend the graduation ceremony during the semester their degree is to be awarded.

Commencement Practice: Fall commencement practice will be held on December 13, 2019, from 10:00 am - 11:00 am at the ASU-Newport Center for the Arts. All graduates are encouraged to attend the practice. In addition to the graduates, all appropriate faculty and staff are required to participate.

Spring 2020 Commencement (NOTE: Spring 2020 Commencement will be postponed due to COVID-19 but it will be rescheduled for a later date.)
TBA
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Location: ASU-Newport Center for the Arts
7648 Victory Blvd.
Newport, AR

Commencement Practice: Spring commencement practice will be held on TBA, from 11:00 am - 12:00 pm at the ASU-Newport Center for the Arts. All graduates are encouraged to attend the practice. In addition to the graduates, all appropriate faculty and staff are required to participate.

Commencement Practice: Summer commencement practice will be held on August 5th, from 11:00 am - 12:00 pm at the ASU-Newport Center for the Arts. All graduates are encouraged to attend the practice. In addition to the graduates, all appropriate faculty and staff are encouraged to participate.

CAPPING AND PINNING CEREMONIES

Capping and Pinning ceremonies are held to honor students who are graduating from Practical Nursing and ARNEC. Students graduating from these programs MUST attend the Capping and Pinning ceremony and are encouraged to attend the commencement ceremony.

Commencement Regalia Policy

Candidates for degrees must wear robes. Robe and cap colors are black, Tasses are Persian Blue/Black. Undergraduate degree candidates who will graduate with honors (Students who have a 3.8 Cumulative GPA or higher) will receive a medallion and gold cord at Commencement Check-in. The Phi Theta Kappa stole is worn by graduates with who are Phi Theta Kappa members. The red, white and blue cord is worn by graduates who are veterans.

Undergraduate degree candidates place tassels on the right side of the mortarboard until their degrees are conferred at the Commencement. The tassels are switched to the left side as a part of the ceremony and are worn on that side at college and school ceremonies and any time thereafter.

Mortarboards may be decorated on the top only and must be non-distracting to the ceremony and other graduates.

Graduates will be asked to remove any adornments that are offensive or that do not comply with this policy prior to entering the Center for the Arts.

REGALIA

There are TWO WAYS to order your commencement regalia [cap, gown, and tassel]:

1. Brown’s will be at one of our ASU-Newport Campus locations: Dates are below under your graduation: (Fall/Spring/Summer)

Note: Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) stoles may be purchased at Brown's Graduation Supplies or speak to the PTK advisor about a stole.

DIPLOMA DISTRIBUTION

Diplomas will not be distributed during the commencement ceremony. Ten (10) business days after each commencement ceremony, the Registrar's Office will confer degrees and mail out diplomas once they are printed.